We made it!
I’ve written about it before, the holiday season isn’t pure joy for many, me included. It often feels like a challenge to me to be able to make it through. I’m estranged from most of my family and for many years now, I spend none of the holidays with my biological family.
This year, I was invited to various gatherings and I intuitively knew that what I most needed was a few days with zero expectations and some blessed alone time. Essentially, my spirit was calling out to me to slow WAY down and be quiet and reflective. To just BE.
Dark places for a moment
That’s what I did. December 24th I sunk into a deep dark place. It wasn’t pleasant or easy. I let myself feel it, cry it and moan into it. I stayed off social media, and the only thing I did, besides eat two small meals, was walk my dog Sam. I felt sorry for myself and my cancer situation. I read an escape novel. I went to bed early.
I slept more than 9 hours and when I woke up on December 25th, I felt like a new person. My first thought was “Oh yes, this is what hope feels like in my body!”
I loved it that I had no one I needed to see or to please or to talk to, unless I wanted to.
I worked on gathering images for my 2024 Vision Board. I lifted weights for over an hour right here in my apartment. Sam and I went for a couple of long walks down by the beautiful Mississippi River. I ate yummy, healthy food, cooked by me. It was a very refreshing day.
One thing I thought about was that I need help to get the word out about my book, Extreme Healing: Reclaim Your Life + Learn to Love Your Body.
That brings me to you
I hope you are feeling good about whatever you did or did not do for your holiday celebration. If you too were alone, remind yourself that if you were alone, many of us were alone with you!
If you have a few minutes, please consider helping spread the word about Extreme Healing.
Here are three easy things you could do. I like to present options! Pick and choose as it makes sense for you!
Spread the word about Extreme Healing
Option 1: Write a review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
There are 36 reviews on Amazon and they help SO much!! HUGE thank you to everyone who has written a review!! If you’re one of the ones who wrote one already, you can pat yourself on the back and stop reading this post!!
If you haven’t yet written a review, click this link, for Amazon, or this link, for Barnes & Noble, and scroll down and write a few sentences about what you thought of the book.
Every single review makes a BIG difference in the algorithm of each platform.
Take a screenshot of your review and email it to me. I’m planning to host another ASK MARI ANYTHING Zoom in early February, and I will be sure to invite everyone who’s written a review!
Option 2: Spread the word on your social media
This really helps!
Take a photo of yourself with the book and write a social media post about it and encourage your people to read it and buy it.
I encourage you to use this link for Amazon as it is a link that doesn’t track you or me on it! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHDKH1K3
Please tag me (@mariruddy) when you make your post and I will do my very best to respond and thank you!!!
Option 3: Get your library to carry Extreme Healing
I love books and as a result I love libraries! Do you?!!
I use Libby and I make requests for library books all the time. I used to buy at least 100 books every year and I had more than 5 bookshelves in my 800 square foot house in Denver, Colorado. It got out of control. I realized I needed to go back to using the library.
A friend of mine here in the Twin Cities made a simple request of the Saint Paul Public Library system asking them to purchase my book. THEY DID!!
Turns out it’s really easy to make such a request of a library system. Most libraries will let you search for a book on their website and if they don’t have the book, you can request that they purchase it.
The more people who gain access to Extreme Healing, the better! Please help make this happen in your community. I’m hoping to do a few library readings of my book!! Super fun!
Okay, there you go!
Thanks for helping me get the word out. Now that I’m living with two chronic health challenges: diabetes AND cancer, I’m noticing that my energy is lower than it used to be, so your help getting the word out means the world to me.
Oh yes, one more thing. You know me, so you know someone who has diabetes. And/or maybe you too are living with diabetes.
Let’s help End Diabetes Stigma.
You too can take the pledge. It’s super easy to do! Just follow this link and make it happen. https://enddiabetesstigma.org/
You don’t have to have diabetes to help with this effort!
Are you on my email list yet? If not, here’s your chance. I won’t share your email with anyone.
Thankfully, I have never felt stigma from diabetes. It is probably because, like you, I am very active and not shy about telling people about my T1. I also have a pump, so no shots for people to see. I grew up playing sports, so locker rooms are ae not awkward spaces for me. I have never had anyone say anything about my cgm or Pod in there, although talking or eye contact in a locker room is kind of a no-no.
Cabe,
So glad to hear that you have experienced little to zero stigma from having diabetes. That’s refreshing to read. If only that was true for everyone who lives with diabetes. I’ve felt it, but not often, and it’s why I’m enthused that the End Diabetes Stigma movement is happening! EVERYONE can sign it!!! I hope you do it too!
Thanks Cabe!!